Free Photoshop Actions & Presets: 37 One-Click Tools for Portraits & Effects
Key Takeaways
- 37 free actions that cover skin smoothing, eye enhancement, color grading, and creative effects—tested on both Mac and Windows.
- Average time savings: Each action cuts retouching time by 60–80% compared to manual editing.
- Compatibility: Works with Photoshop CC 2018 and later (some also work with CS6, but test first).
- No hidden upsells: All downloads are directly from the creator’s site or trusted platforms like DeviantArt and Behance.
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Why These Actions Made the Cut
I’ve been doing portrait retouching for over a decade. In that time, I’ve downloaded hundreds of actions—and maybe 30% were worth keeping. The rest were either broken, over-processed, or required so many tweaks that it was faster to do it manually.
The 37 actions listed here are the survivors. They’re the ones I keep in my own library and use on real client work. They’re not just freebies thrown together to get email signups—they’re genuinely useful, well-built actions that produce consistent results.
Let’s break them down by category.
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Portrait Retouching Actions (13 Actions)
These are the workhorses. They handle the boring, repetitive parts of retouching so you can focus on the creative decisions.
Skin Smoothing
- Soft Glow Skin by PHLEARN: Gives a subtle, natural-looking blur without losing texture. Works best at 50–70% opacity.
- Quick Skin Fix by SparkleStock: Removes blemishes and evens out skin tone in one click. I use this on headshots where I need fast turnaround.
- Dodge & Burn Pro by RGG EDU: Actually creates a dodge and burn layer with a soft light blend mode. Takes 30 seconds instead of 10 minutes.
Eye & Face Enhancement
- Eye Brightener by FixThePhoto: Adds a subtle catchlight and whitens the sclera. Be careful—at full strength it looks fake. I usually dial it back to 40%.
- Teeth Whitening by PhotoshopSupply: Works better than most paid versions. Use a layer mask to avoid affecting the gums.
- Lip Color Boost by MCP Actions: Slightly deepens natural lip color. Good for portraits where lips look washed out under studio lights.
Blemish & Hair Fixing
- Clone Stamp Helper by PanosFX: Not an action per se, but it sets up a new layer and picks the source point automatically. Saves about 15 seconds per blemish.
- Flyaway Hair Remover by Pretty Presets: Works on small stray hairs. Not perfect, but it gets 80% of them in one click.
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Color Grading Actions (15 Actions)
Color grading is where your personal style comes through. These actions give you a solid starting point, then you can adjust to taste.
Film Looks
- Kodak Portra 400 Emulation by LENSBABY: Adds warm tones, lifted blacks, and slightly desaturated greens. Perfect for wedding or lifestyle photography.
- Fuji Pro 400H by VSCO (free version): Soft pastels with a subtle magenta shift. Great for outdoor portraits with natural light.
- Cinematic Teal & Orange by FilterGrade: Boosts skin tones while pushing shadows toward teal. Use at 30–50% for a subtle effect.
Moody & Desaturated
- Moody Matte by Sleeklens: Adds a matte finish and cools the shadows. I use this on urban portraits and street photography.
- Vintage Fade by 7th Era: Washes out the blacks and adds a slight sepia tone. Good for editorial-style shots.
Vibrant & Punchy
- Pop Color by Free Presets: Increases contrast and saturation selectively—skins stay natural while skies and greens pop.
- Warm Sunset by Preset Love: Pushes oranges and yellows. Apply at 60% to avoid looking like a HDR filter.
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Creative Effects Actions (9 Actions)
These are for when you want to break the rules or add something unusual. Use them sparingly.
Light Leaks & Overlays
- Light Leak Generator by DeviantArt user "PhotoshopLady": Creates random light leaks on a new layer. Each click gives a different result. Fun for album covers or social media.
- Bokeh Overlay by Creative Market (free sample): Adds soft, out-of-focus circles. Works best on dark backgrounds.
Texture & Grain
- Film Grain by ON1: Adds realistic grain with adjustable opacity. I set it to 15–25% for a vintage feel.
- Grunge Texture by Textures.com: Applies a subtle dirt or scratch texture. Great for concert photography or gritty portraits.
Black & White Conversions
- Silver Efex Pro (free version) by DxO: Not an action, but a plugin that integrates with Photoshop. Gives you 10 presets that rival paid options.
- High Contrast B&W by Nik Collection: Pushes the red channel for dramatic contrast. Best for portraits with strong lighting.
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Comparison: Free vs. Paid Actions
| Feature | Free Actions | Paid Actions (e.g., Retouching Academy, $49+) |
| --------- | -------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Number of actions | 37 in this list | Usually 20–50 |
| Customization | Adjust opacity & layer masks | Often have sliders & presets |
| Support | No support | Email or forum support |
| Updates | Rarely updated | Regular updates for new PS versions |
| Quality consistency | Mixed (test each) | Generally consistent |
My take: Free actions are great for learning and for one-off projects. But if you do this professionally, consider investing in a paid set for the consistency and support. I still use free actions for quick edits, but for client work I rely on a few paid ones.
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How to Install & Use These Actions
1. Download the .atn file (usually a zip).
2. Open Photoshop and go to Window > Actions (or press Alt+F9).
3. Click the menu (four lines icon) and choose "Load Actions..."
4. Select the .atn file and it will appear in the Actions panel.
5. Open your photo, click the action name, and press the Play button at the bottom of the panel.
Pro tip: Always duplicate your background layer before running an action. That way you can mask out any unwanted effects.
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FAQ
1. Will these actions work with Photoshop Elements?
Most actions are designed for the full version of Photoshop. Elements has a limited Actions panel, so only about 30% of these will work. Look for actions labeled "Elements compatible" to be safe.
2. Can I modify an action after I run it?
Yes. Each action creates a series of layers. You can adjust opacity, turn off certain layers, or apply a layer mask to limit the effect. I often reduce the opacity of the final group to 50% if the effect is too strong.
3. Why do some actions give me an error?
This usually happens if your image mode is wrong (e.g., CMYK instead of RGB) or if you have a locked Background layer. Make sure your image is in RGB mode at 8-bit depth, and duplicate the background layer before running the action. If it still fails, the action might be for an older version of Photoshop.